We March On
by live alittle
Summary: Can one, dysfunctional, unorganized, inattentive, inexperienced freshman class pull it together to live up to the potential and standards of the and they are coming to know and love? Will they win the approval, of the upperclassmen of the band, that they
1. Let's Warm up

Lets Warm-up 

The alarm beeped, the complaints were voiced, and the sheets were throw off as I stumbled out of bed at quarter to 7 to get ready for freshman fundamentals. I turned the knob on my shower as the warm water started rushing out of the faucet. One whole month until school starts and I'm already getting out of bed early.

"Another summer ruined yet again by the dreaded beeping of my alarm," I muttered under my breath as I pulled my shoulder length, usually dark brown, wet hair into a messy bun and searched for my gray shorts that said California across the butt, "But I get to see all my friends again…maybe he'll be there…." I sighed under my breath as I pulled on my short socks, in hopes of minimizing the tan line I'll unavoidably get.

"Chloe, come on you're going to be late I we don't leave within the next 5 minutes." My mom called from the bottom of the stairs as I grabbed my water bottle, backpack, and sky blue flag, and headed for our car to go to my one, and luckly only day of freshman fundamentals.

"Welcome you guys…Ben, Shane, Alan, Tom…please stop talking….we have a long morning ahead of us. Ok, back to business. As you all know, the Mattawan Band is a very prestigious class, and one of the best parts, or the part that the students usually like best, is marching season. We will be spending the next four weeks working on perfecting our marching, learning how to read and march our drill, and putting the music with the drill. We will have our staff , some of whom are in the back, along with Mr. Anderson, Miss. Nofs, and myself to help you with all of the items on our list that we must accomplish. As all of you know, the band plays at all the football games during halftime, but what not many of you knows is that we compete against many other bands," Mr. Greer droned on, though he was our favorite band director as my older brother Sean, who would be beginning his junior year this year, had warned, Mr. Greer was much more demanding of us during the marching season.

"I would like to introduce you to our some of our staff, these nice people who are standing in the back of the room are your drum majors, and section leaders. We will be going left to right, please say your name, grade, and what section you are the leader of, please."

"I'm Brian Willey, I'm a senior, and I'm the tuba section leader," a very cute boy said stepping forward.

"I'm Kirsten Novak, I'm a senior and I'm the saxophone section leader this year."

"I'm Sarah Jenkins, I'm a junior and I'm one of the drum majors."

"I'm Krystle Forbes,, and I'm a junior and not to be confused with my twin sister Carlee, we have made nametags, and I'm the drum major."

"I'm Hannah Hafner, I'm a senior and I'll be your head drum major."

"I'm Carlee Forbes, I'm a junior and I'm the junior Guard Captain."

I'm Jordan Avard, I'm a senior and I'm the guard captain this year."

"I'm Mike Tartaglia, I'm a senior and I'm the section leader of the trumpets."

"I'm Tyler Hodges, I'm a junior and I'm not going to be here any day after today because I'm leaving for Interlocked, but today I'll be the flute section leader."

I'm Matt Bettig, I'm a senior and I'm the F Trumpet section leader."

"I'm Ana Nymphan, I'm a senior and I'm the trombone section lea deader."

"I'mMindy Rude, I'm a senior and I'm the Clarinet section leader."

"I'm Josh Sutton, I'm a senior and I'm the baritone section leader."

"I'm Dan Dehann, and I'm a senior, and I'm the barry/tenor/bass clarinet section leader."

"I'm Halli Beujokeford, I'm a senior and I'm the percussion section leader." Halli rode my bus, and he was very, very cute. As my eyes wandered the room I noticed tat several girls were drooling over Halli, though he didn't seem to notice.

"Ok, so now that you know the staff please go to your section and get acquainted." Mr. Anderson said through his treasured mega-phone.

Since the guard has known each other since June, because of try-outs, and the lunch we had to find out who are sisters were, we just went over to Jordan and Carlee to talk about our summers.

"Outside everyone!" the mega-phone magnified Mr. Anderson's voice by about a million.

"Ok Guard, grab your flags, water, and whatever else you may need and follow everyone else out please." Jordan instructed.

The morning was one of the hottest I'd ever experienced, and it was worse since we had to stand at attention with out backs to the sun for the 60 second drill, but finally my morning of freshman fundamentals, which had started at 8 finished by 1 o'clock that afternoon.

"We'll see you all back here at 3 for our night rehearsal with the rest o the band.

I was home for a total of one hour and thirty minutes when my brother and I piled into our mom's Durango to pick up Sean's friend Mikey. "Welcome Band to another August of band camp!" Mr. Greer announced once everyone was settled, "Now lets warm-up."


	2. Block Band

Block Band 

Once everyone was warmed-up and had been working for about one hour, we were released for our half hour lunch break.

"Chloe! Katie!" My best friend Madi yelled across the lobby to Katie and I, trying o get our attention to eat lunch...well technically dinner...together.

"Hey Madi! How was corn de-tasseling?" I asked asI sat down to eat.

"Don't mention the C word." Madi groaned as she took a bite out of her sandwich. "I hated my fucking group leader. I fought with her all day everyday, just yelling back and forth with each other.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Because she was making me do stupid stuff." Madi said very mater-of-factly.

As time passed on, it was soon 5:30 rolled around and dinner was over and it was time to get our drill charts handed out to us.

"Does everyone know their numbers?" Carlee asked as se handed out markers so everyone could mark their spots on the field.

"Umm...no I don't.?" I said staring at all the little numbers on the drill chart of the field.

"Umm....Chloe, your number is G12." Emily, my guard sister, said looking out for me.

"Thank you."

"Block band everyone!" Jordan said standing up and brushing the dirt off the butt.

"What's block band?" The freshman asked as they gathered up all of their stuff to walk outside.

"It's a big block of band kids, it's just basically an attendance block that you'll need to be in everyday when we are called to block band." Emily said slinging her arm around my shoulder.  
"Umm...Chloe. You stand next to Dan Soard." Krystle said as she marked me off on the chart she carried.

"Hey sister!" Emily sad as she looked to her left and saw me standing next to her. Emily was tall, with fair skin, kind eyes, a friendly face, and flaming red hair. She was sisterly towards me before any of us tried out. As I stood at attention with my drill book in hand, I looked at all the upperclassman, and how much older then all of us freshman looked standing next to them, and suddenly felt very, very small.

"Good afternoon Band!" Mr. Greer yelled into his micro-phone.

"GOOD AFTERNOON MR. GREER!!!" the band chorused with a few people exceptionally louder then rest. I looked at the few people I knew. Mainly my older brother's friends. Mikey, Curtis, Jenn, Amy, Kelly, Trevor, and then all of the guard and freshman. There were so many of us. I looked down to my feet, and saw that my shoe was untied. As I straightened up after tying my shoe I looked right into the eyes of my good friend Erin.

"You're standing behind me?!" she asked excitedly.

"Apparently so." I said trying to share her enthusiasm, but finding myself failing due to my drained energy.

"I'm only going to remember this spot because you're standing right behind me. I'm only going to remember it because of you there all season long." Erin said calming down to her normal state of mind.

"Ok Band! I'm going to read each of your names and tell you what number you are!" Mr. Itsy-bitsy (as my friends and I called him) said into the micro-phone.

The list went on until we finally reached the very last person sitting on the ground. Everyone dug out their pens and pencils to circle every single little number that marked where their spot was on the field. Once everyone was done we stood, and were released for our 5 minute break.

"Hey Chloe." Madi said walking up to me with water in one hand and her drill chart in the other.

"Hey Madi. So you stand by my brother in block band?" I asked eyeing her drill chart.

"Yep…I d…" the rest of her sentence was drowned out by the sound of Mr. Greer's voice yelling…

"You have 2 minutes to find your spot in block band!"

Everyone ran back on the field to find their spot in block band to listen for their next instruction.

"Everyone please take out your drill charts, and find your beginning spot for the...MATTAWAN OPENER!"No sooner had the words left his mouth, cheers were heard, papers were shuffled, and feet pounded on the pavement.

"Ok, so I'm on the 45, and I'm 2 off the hash?" I asked Carlee after I got to the 45.  
"Yep. You, Margie and I are all in a cover down." Carlee said. A cover down was a line that was perfectly lined up so that you could only see the back of the person's head who's either in front of you or next to you.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Madi standing there smiling at me. "Hi!" she squeaked as I waved to her. I turned around and as I took in my surroundings I saw a water bottle in my brother's pocket.

"Hey Sean, could I have some water please?" I asked after getting his attention.

"Sean nodded and pulled the water bottle out of his pocket, and tossed it to me, testing my catching skills from guard. As I tossed the water back to Sean and he turned back around, Carlee turned to me and mouthed, 'Is that your brother?'

I nodded and called his name.

"Yea Chlo?" Chlo…the name he called me when I wanted something, he wanted something, or he was in a rush, he asked turning around.

"Look at Carlee." I said not explaining why.

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't believe me that we're related."

"Yea, she's my little sister." Sean said re-affirming what I had told Carlee.

"Oh I see the resemblance!" Carlee said an expression of acknowledgment appearing on her face.

"Ok, we're doing the first move!" Mr. Greer said from his spot on the tower, "We do this move in 11 counts. Count as you march. Hannah."

"Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut!" Hannah yelled as she clapped her hands together to count us off. As the fourth hut escaped Hannah's lips the chants of "1, 2, ,3 ,4..." could be heard echoing in the fading sun.


	3. As We Improve

As We Improve 

As we took our final water break before lunch, and all that was going through my head was 'The band geeks going marching one by one ho-ra ho-ra, the band geeks going marching one by one ho-ra, ho-ra,' each time the phrase passed through my mind it got higher pitched. It was rather annoying to have this little rendition of a children's song stuck in my head, but at the time as I was standing, sitting and kneeling on the pavement in the hot sun as Mr. Greer fit everyone into the picture, it was rather entertaining. During this part of band camp, where everyone was still learning drill and we couldn't march through at least three sets without having to stop and fix the picture, it was very boring.

"Ok everyone, take a ten minute water break since you didn't get one a while ago." Mr. Greer said, there was a sigh of relief that echoed off the field. These planned, whole band water breaks were not normally what we did. The band director's concept for water breaks was if you absolutely have to, go and take one. If you absolutely had to sit down because you were about to pass out, then do it, but, if you were just sitting there and a group of people started to gather around you and you were all just sitting there talking then the directors would go and talk to you.

About twenty minutes later we were released for our dinner break.

"We defiantly need more then just thirty minutes for lunch." I said to Madison as we sat in the dark auditorium trying to revive ourselves from our excruciating exhaustion.

"Ya think?" Madi said half sarcastically, half seriously. Madi had changed this summer. She was more sarcastic, she wore black eyeliner, and her hair was starting to get blonder. Everyone had changed. Katie, Madi, Shane, Sarah, even I had changed. My hair was longer, a little lighter, and I wasn't so shy around people, especially guys. It was guard, or maybe just high school in general, or maybe I was just growing up and had matured since the last time I'd seen all of these people that I was now spending the remainder of my summer with.

" I mean serisouly how can I enjoy staring at all the new guys in only 30 MINUTES!!," Madi shrieked catching my attention.

" NOICE!!," I responded laughing remembering when we were talking to Curtis and he just thought we had spelled it wrong. Madi is one of those people who you learn to love, her humor like no other and her 8 year old spirit can always make you feel better. We finished our food, telling Katie we were leavingshe was going tostay behind as we giggled our way down the stair, watching Halli!

That evening JJ and Sarah (the guard coaches) were there to see how the Opener had turned out, how Rainbow was looking, we had learned that one in one day, and to teach us more of Summertime. Even though Summertime came before Rainbow, and after the Opener, we learned them out of order.

"Stop! Jordan, Carlee, what did you guys work on?" JJ asked getting frustrated with everyone.

"Everything that you taught us." Jordan said innocently, and honestly.

"Everyone's eyes closed. I don't want to see a single person looking." Sarah said with frustration. Sarah was supposed to be the hard ass coach, but so far she'd only been tough, and that was only because she wanted us to succeed.  
"Can we open them to toss our tosses?" Emily asked logically.

"Yes, but only then, once you've caught your flag the I want your eyes to be snapped shut again." Sarah said.

Everyone did as they were told and closed their eyes and listened to the claps of JJ and Sarah.

"Hmmm…." Sarah said aloud, "That's funny. You guys do it better with your eyes closed and you're not watching each other then you do when your eyes are open." Sarah's high pitched voice squeaked as she sort of complimented us.

"Ok girls, this is it, this is the first time you'll be doing this ith the band and with drill, just remember what your drill is and this will come second nature." JJ said to us as we all stood with our jaws dropped…. 'perform this with the band AND drill?!' I thought horror struck. "Don't worry you guys. You're a strong guard. You can do this. Just remember count, and know what's coming next." JJ said as she sent us off to our doom.

We all lived, only a few, not so key band members were hit by a few people, but all in all it went good. As nine o'clock rolled around all of everyone's drill was finished, and we were ready to march the entire show, but that would have to wait until tomorrow, for now it was time for us to all go home and sleep.


	4. Back to School

Back to School, Back to School 

The big yellow school bus, dubbed number 34 rolled to a stop at the end of my road. As Kelly and I climbed on, faintly I could hear the Adam Sandler song from Billy Madison.

"I've got my lunch all packed, I got my shoes tied tight, I hope I don't get into a fight. Back to School, back to school…" Memories of standing down at the bus stop on the first day of school came rushing back to me, and all started the same. With Kelly singing, softly under her breath, the Back to School song by Adam Sandler.

After a lengthy bus ride, and many new stops, we reached the school. Tough I had been at that school for almost a whole month, I got butterflies in my stomach as the big high school building was in view. I looked over to Kelly and saw a smile on her face. It was the smile that every kid wore when they knew they were about to see all of their friends again, even though Kelly had been with her friends all through band camp, she still wore the goofy smile of a giddy school girl waiting to hear the latest gossip.

As I walked into the band room, the setup was the same as always. Long rows to seat all the band members, and then chairs set up on the choir risers for the guard. The band directors didn't really have anything new to say to us besides that we really accomplished a lot during those four weeks, and that they'd never worked with such a focused group before, and that this season was going to be great

As we were dismissed I was tempted to just walk right out the double doors and go home, but then the fact that I had more classes to go to dawned on me, and I went to my next class. The rest of my classes seemed boring compared to band, all until my fifth hour came along. Physical Science. Even though the teacher was horrible, and stupid, it worked to my advantage and I got seated next to two of my best friends, Jake and Margie.

The day came to a close, and that meant just a few hours until I got to go and march the show again, but this time, it would only be for one hour instead of six.

THE NEXT DAY

The music boomed and people stared as they walked passed the door the guard room. K-t had put in her Modest Mouse cd, and was dancing about the room, getting ready to go outside and march. All of our flags were stacked in the corners, and everyone was making plans for the football game the next day. We weren't going to be in full uniform, so we wouldn't have to be there early for hair and make-up to be done, we just had to go out and get out leotards for under our uniforms so that we could order them and they'd be in in time for the next game the following Friday.

As the guard huddled before warming up, with 200 drop spins and double time, Jordan made plans for meeting the next day to make a day of going out to order our leotards. Since the next day we had the day off, it would make getting together even more difficult because people tended to make plans for that day off.

"Who all's coming with us tomorrow to get our leotards?" Jordan asked trying to focus everyone.

"Me,"

"Me,"

"I am!" and many other variations of that scattered throughout the guard.

"Ok good, you all know that tomorrow's the last day we can all go to get them to have them in time for next Friday right?" Jordan asked eyeing all the girls who hadn't spoken up.

"Yep." they all chorused.

"Ok then, if that's all then…" Jordan paused for dramatic affect and took a few steps back, "BLOCK UP! 200 drop spins, count every ten!" Everyone jumped to attention and stood at right shoulder (a/n for those of you who don't know what right shoulder is, it's a guard term).

"10!"

"20!"

"30!"

"SARAH LARSON YOU'RE OFF!" Carlee yelled over the ripple sound of our flags and shouts of tens.

"200!" We all finished.

"OPENER!" Mr. Greer was drowned out by the sound of stampeding feet as we all tried to get to our opening set as quick as possible.

"HUT! HUT! HUT! HUT!" Hannah clapped.

"1, 2, 3, DOWN ON KIRA!" Karri called from somewhere behind me.

Class ended and I walked down the hall singing under my breath "Broken" by Seether and Amy Lee.

"And I don't feel right when you're gone away."

"Chloe you ok?" I looked up from my feet to see Madi walking next to me panting a little from catching up to me. See as how I stand at 5' 6" and Madi's only about 5' 2", 5' 3", it takes her a few more steps then me to be walking at the same pace as me.

"Yea I'm fine, just thinking." I mumbled going back to my song.

"Whatever you say." Madi uttered not believing. School seemed to down Madi's lively spirits, and that dampened everyone's day. School always seemed to have a negative affect on everyone in band. Either they were mad that they didn't get to march, or they were mad that they didn't get to see their friends all day like they were used to.

ONE WEEK LATER

"Toomorrow's the bigday you guys! The first game in full uniform!" Katie said excitedly coming up behind Madi and I slinging her arms around our shoulders, which must've been awkward since Katie's in-between my height and Madi's.

'Yep, tomorrow's the day.' I thought glumly to myself.


	5. Rockford or BUST

Rockford or BUST

As I stood in block band Friday morning listening to Jordan and Carlee counting how many people in guard were missing.

"Emily sister?" I whispered to Emily.

"Yea Chloe sister?"

"I'm nervous for tonight and tomorrow." I said giving a shudder because it was so cold out this morning.

"Don't be, tonight it's just a football game, and you guys did great last week at the first one, and this one is no different', except for the fact that it's sort of a dress rehearsal for tomorrow, Sarah will be here, and we'll be in full uniform which makes it all more real." Emily said not calming my nerves at all, but making them worse instead.

"Thanks Em, that just made everything so much better."

Emily opened her mouth to respond to my sarcasm, but instead of saying anything back to me, she yelled "GOOD MORNING MR. GREER!" with the rest of the band.

"Tonight is a football game!" silence, "I said, TONIGHT IS A FOOTBAL GAME!" Cheers, and hollows echoed into the pink sky of the rising sun, "Tonight you need to show up in full-uniform, that means hat, jacket, your pants, and your special marching shoes. Then tomorrow is your first competition at ROCKFORD! Then the PICNIC!" Mr. Greer yelled into his microphone. Cheers could be heard in the parking lot once again. The people, well freshman, in the school building probably thought it was a strange class to be hollering about nothing in particular every Friday morning.

LATER THAT DAY

"Emily!" I called holding a black eyeliner pencil in my hand, "will you please help me with my make-up?"

"Of course Chloe sister." Emily took the pencil out of my hand and told me to close my eyes and not to open them until she told me to.

"Thank you very much Em." I said as I put the cap on my pencil and walked out of the guard room to get my hair plastered with hairspray.

Mr. Anderson walked toward Aysha and I, "You guys have a half hour until you need to report in the band room." 

I walked back into the guard room with the hairspray can in hand and looked at Jordan, "Mr. Anderson says we have a half hour until we need to be in the band room." I reported as Jordan as there trying not to make putting her hair up any harder for K-t.

"Thanks Chloe."

"Yep." I said absent mindedly as I walked back to my spot to finish putting on my make-up.

"Hey Chloe?" Jordan grabbed my attention while I was digging through piles of junk for my lipstick.

"Yea Jordan?"

"You look like a model with that make-up on. Once you get those braces off, you'll look even better…not that you braces don't look cute on you…just, you know what I mean." I nodded feeling a little flushed from Jordan's extensive flattery.

"Ok, JD, all set." K-t said pushing a final bobby pin into Jordan's bun.

"Anyone want something on the guard cart? It's going to the stadium in like two seconds." Britni said as sweatshirts and purses were thrown into her arms.

"Thanks Brit!" the guard chorused.

ONE HOUR LATER-TROOP ON

Warming up and the pre-game all went smoothly, now was the actual test, our first REAL show, our dress rehearsal. I looked over at Carlee, and saw that she had he eyes shut tight, and she was breathing deeply.

"20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26...27!" I stepped off, two off the hash, and a two step interval between Madi and I, and Kira and myself. Soon the final sounds of taps were hit, and everyone halted. Dan hit the base drum.

'This is it.' I thought to myself as I bowed behind Kira, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and it felt as though it would pound right out onto the field. The day had been a rough one, and I knew that it would either show in my performance, or I could use it, and perform the hell out of what I knew.

I smiled more then I knew a person could smile, and I held my chin high as I stared up at the people in the stands. The adrenaline rush was incredible, so exhilarating. I couldn't wait for the next day to come.

NEXT DAY, 10:00 AM

"Hey Chloe, Margie, and Katie." Carlee was standing outside on the pavement behind the dumpsters.

"Umm…what's goin' on?" I asked setting my bags down on the ground and shoving my hands into my jacket pockets, soaking up the sun rays that were shining in the sky.

"Oh, we're locked out." K-t Shirey said from where she sat on the ground, in the shade, against the school's cold brick.

"Joy." I whispered to myself. I looked at Emily. "Emily Sister, I have something for you!" I said handing her the guard gift I had for her.

"And I have something for you!" Emily said excitedly holding up the little gift bag for me to open. Inside the bag was a little stuffed flower with a bendable wire in the stem, and with the words: I Love You, sown into one of the hot pink petals, and a Princess halo that had streamers tied to the back of it.

"Em! I love it!" I said hugging her tightly. Emily had already done the same to me for her gift.

"So…how long until Mr. Greer gets here? Because we're locked out until he gets here." K-t said, standing up and dusting the pebbles, from the pavement she'd been laying on, off her legs.

"Umm…Krystal's calling him right now, I think, then she's going to tell us what's going on." Carlee said propping herself on her elbows and tilting her face towards then sky, the sun reflecting of her sunglasses. K-t nodded, then she and Kendra made plans to run to the near-by gas station to get Subway.

20 MINUTES LATER

Mr. Greer had finally arrived, and we were in the guard room trying to make up for the time we'd lost standing around outside. Finally, the band was rallied into the band room for the pre-competition/bus ride pep talk Mr. Greer always gives.

All too soon, the busses pulled into the Rockford High school parking lot, we were unloaded, and trooping on. I gulped.

As the drill and guard routine progressed, I got lost in the movements of my body and flag. We were already half way through The Mattawan Closer, and it seemed like I'd just gotten out there. I could barely breath, and couldn't swallow, all I knew was that I needed water, and fast. It was a hot day, hotter then most of the days at band camp had been, and I was dying out on the field as I picked up flags with Aysha.

JJ was waiting for us when we finally got back to the band trailer, and she was greeted by the guard, all of whom were happy, because her arms were full of water bottles.

The awards were about to be announced for the class A bands, Emily, K-t, Chelsea, Aysha and I all stood, Emily and I returned to hats we had borrowed to their rightful owners, and we waited. Best percussion, best color guard, best marching, best music, none went to Mattawan. Finally the placements. We took second. We jumped and screamed with joy, all the while, everyone knew what was to come on Monday. The next week we would be pushed harder then ever, to do better, but now it was time for a picnic. 


End file.
